Travelling around Acadia National Park is getting easier thanks to the new Island Explorer Gateway Center, which held its grand opening Friday. People who visit Acadia National Park will be able to park their cars at the center and board a free Island Explorer Shuttle to get to locations around the park.

"Actually over 20 percent of its passengers are local folks who use the bus system to recreate, to commute to and from work, to get out for evenings out and all that sort of thing, so it serves much more than the tourist industry," said Paul Murphy of Downeast Transportation.

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The facility is also home to the transit system's administrative offices, and where the buses will be maintained and stored.

The $14.7 million facility was funded through money from the Federal Transit Administration and state bonds.